It is known to provide machines for assembling smoking articles such as cigarettes. These machines typically comprise a series of drums configured to transfer and/or assemble a filter rod with a tobacco rod so as to form a smoking article. Certain drums are configured so that particular operations are carried out as the rod articles are conveyed by the drum. For example, a drum may be configured to co-operate with a rolling hand to wrap a tipping paper segment around a filter rod and a tobacco rod so as to combine the two with one another, other drums are configured to co-operate with a laser beam so as to perforate the tipping paper.